Historic Chess Hall of Fame Inductions Set Stage for 2016 U.S. & U.S. Women's Championship in Saint Louis

ST. LOUIS, April 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The chess world focused its spotlight on Saint Louis last night, as the U.S. Chess Capital hosted the induction ceremony for the 2016 World and U.S. Chess Halls of Fame and kicked off the U.S. Championships. The event marked an important moment in chess history, as Grandmaster Maurice Ashley became the first African American inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame.

Ashley is not only the first African American player to enter the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, but one of the greatest ambassadors and promoters the game has ever known. Ashley is a world-class commentator who has covered many major competitions including the 1995 Kasparov-Anand World Championship match carried on ESPN, as well as the 2013-2016 Sinquefield Cups.

He has also organized some of the highest-stakes open tournaments worldwide, the HB Global Challenge (2005) and Millionaire Chess Open (2014, 2015), which featured record-setting prize funds. Formerly a Joint Fellow at Harvard's Berkman Center and MIT's Media Lab, Ashley is at the forefront of bringing the benefits of chess to a wider educational audience through the innovative use of technology. He is the author of the bestseller Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens (2005).

"I am honored and deeply moved to receive this award," said Ashley. "It's a wonderful and special recognition of the work I have dedicated myself to all my life."

Ashley was inducted alongside U.S. Champion Grandmaster Gata Kamsky. Kamsky is one of the greatest chess players to represent the United States. He is a five-time U.S. Chess Champion and a six-time U.S. Olympiad team member. They joined 55 past players bestowed with the honor of being U.S. Hall of Fame inductees. The 2016 inductees into the World Chess Hall of Fame were also honored at the event. These individuals, selected by representatives of the World Chess Federation (Fédération Internationale des Échecs or FIDE), included Grandmaster David Bronstein, Sonja Graf-Stevenson and Howard Staunton.

The U.S. Chess Championship and U.S. Women's Championship

The historic Hall of Fame induction set the stage for this year's U.S. Chess Championships – the country's pinnacle events for the sport. The tournaments feature the nation's top 24 chess players competing for the titles of U.S. Champion and U.S. Women's Champion. This year is the eighth consecutive year the U.S. Championships are taking place in Saint Louis, at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) April 13 through April 30, 2016.

"The U.S. Championships are my favorite events each year. We work hard to promote America's best players, and many of them have become a part of our chess family," said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the CCSCSL. "These players represent an outstanding cross-section of the current state of U.S. chess, creating what is certain to be a fierce competition for our nation's highest titles."

On the women's side, GM Irina Krush returns to defend her title as she vies for her eighth championship title. In addition, the field is comprised of the other highest-rated players from across the country, including seven players who range in ages from 12-16.

To follow the action and watch the live show daily at 1 p.m. CT, visit www.uschesschamps.com.

Garry Kasparov Special Exhibition Matches

Additionally, world chess legend GM Garry Kasparov will make a special appearance in Saint Louis to take on the top three finishers from the U.S. Championship in a series of blitz matches on April 28-29, 2016. While retired from professional play, the former world champion is a fierce competitor and will surely challenge the best Americans.

The 2016 U.S. Championships, including blitz matches, will be streamed live at 1:00 p.m. CT daily on www.uschesschamps.com, featuring play-by-play and analysis from the world-renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Live spectators may view the action in the tournament hall and enjoy additional GM-led commentary on-site with GM Alejandro Ramirez and GM Ben Finegold.

Additional event, ticketing and hotel information may be found at www.uschesschamps.com.

About The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.

Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.

About the World Chess Hall of Fame
The World Chess Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization committed to building awareness for the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York and Miami. The World Chess Hall of Fame is located at 4652 Maryland Avenue, housed in an historic 15,900 square foot residence turned  business, and features the U.S. and World Chess Halls of Fame, displays of artifacts from the permanent collection and exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The World Chess Hall of Fame partners with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national and international audiences.

For more information, please visit the World Chess Hall of Fame online at www.worldchesshof.org.

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SOURCE Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis